Baicalein: An In Vitro Antigenotoxic Compound from Scutellaria baicalensis

Abstract

Bioassay-guided fractionation of an H₂O extract of the root of Scutellaria baicalensis has furnished an in vitro antigenotoxic flavonoid, baicalein (1) and 2’,5,5’,7-tetrahydroxy- 6’,8-dimethoxyflavone (2). Compound 1 exhibited a dose-dependent inhibition of aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) and N-methyl-N’-nitro-N- nitrosoguanidine mutagenicity in the Salmonella typhimurium bacterial mutation assay. In the chromosome aberration assay, compound 1, at a concentration of 5µM, reduced the frequency of chromosome aberration induced by AFB₁ but increased the clastogenic effect of AFB₁ at a concentration of 50µM.

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